Zion National Park

As seasoned backpackers, we should know better… Even though the sun was setting after 9.5 miles of miles of hiking, and our water supply was dwindling, important decisions should not be made at the height of exhaustion, hunger, and thirst. Yet, collectively we decided to send my brother and brandon down the 59 degree river in search of the fresh water spring near backcountry campsite 12... Wherever that might be. After dinner was prepared and our stomachs were full, the darkness of the canyon and the Zion backcountry descended on Ian, Doyle, and myself, and we quickly realized just how rash our decision was. The river was hard enough to navigate during the day, at night would be next to impossible… After 45 minutes with no sign of our comrades, Ian and I ventured in to the darkness, down river, with nothing but our head lamps. Fear and worry gripped us at first, but I quickly realized that prayer would serve us better. After 15-20 minutes of hurried navigation through the dark canyon, Ian and I stopped - I could swear I saw the glimmer of headlamps on the canyon wall ahead. I told Ian I saw lights, he turned to me in surprise and blinded me with his own headlamp, and like the ending of any survival movie, around the corner were John and Brandon holding our empty water bottles. Truth be told, it was well before that moment that I knew this would be a great story to tell. In a word, the top-down Narrows hike was extraordinary. The Narrows held a new and astounding view around every corner, with luminous colors and reflections that illuminated the towering walls of eroded rock and the endless flow of the Virgin River. Yet, this short tale proves that something as mundane as filling water bottles can be the greatest of adventures when you're on a backpacking excursion.While the most popular hikes and features of the park are easily accessible from the incredibly well run bus system; As with any great national park, the true beauty and soul of the land lies in the backcountry. The two best hikes in Zion require backcountry permits, and out of 2.5 million visitors a year, only 80 permits go out per day for each adventure. There's nothing I love like solitude, seclusion, and exclusivity. Well, it turns out that I found a new favorite past time in Zion, scrambling over rocks while trying to find the quickest and most creative route through a river bed. That and the constant threat of a flash flood added to an overwhelming sense of whimsy and adventure I felt in the most remote parts of Zion.Ultimately, this trip was far from our first adventure together, but was our first in the great American Southwest. It was an escape from the heat and humidity of Florida, to a desert landscape of the most epic proportions. It was a place where we felt whimsy, freedom, and above all comaraderie.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop like autumn leaves." - John Muir

Pacific Northwest

For the next seven days, I head to one my favorite regions in the country, the Pacific Northwest. Last September I flew in to Seattle to visit Mt. Rainier, and backpack through Olympic National Park. However, on this trip,  I fly in to Portland (a city I already know I'll love), then head straight for the Columbia River Gorge. Based on the images I've seen,  the stretch of wilderness along the Columbia River is home to some of the most lush and beautiful waterfalls in the world. After several days in Oregon and an awesome portrait session, I'll then head to the beautiful old growth forests of Redwood National Park, where I'll meet an old friend who just so happens to be a park ranger there. Needless to say, I could not have a better guide for the few days I'll spend among the tallest trees in the world.

"The idea of wilderness needs no defense. Only more defenders" - Edward Abbey

Lake Superior

All week, I've been trying to put my finger on what it is about Lake Superior and the upper peninsula of Michigan that has captured my spirit and imagination… Sure, Lake Superior is the biggest and cleanest of the great lakes, and has a gorgeous color, dramatic cliffs and dunes, and even has beautifully colored pebbles and stones along the shore. But there's more, the miles of pristine shores have a certain personality, a certain untouched and unspoken beauty. In a town like Marquette, you'll find 30,000 permanent residents full of pride, that live at a slower place, and don't take a single summer day for granted. I mean how could you, when the beautiful weather only lasts a few short months (I'll argue that their snowy days are beautiful, but I've never lived in frigid temperatures). Those who live in the upper peninsula are fully aware of what they have, yet somehow they manage to keep the upper peninsula one of the best kept secrets in America.

"Happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think."- Dale Carnegie